Toys - A Novel Part 20

Chapter 82 82.

"OF COURSE IT'S me. Are you strong enough to stand on your own?" she asked. I nodded, and we moved apart.

Like she'd promised, the viselike grip of pain in my skull was easing, and my thinking seemed clearer already. Suddenly, I remembered a whole lot of things that had happened after the motorcycle crash-Russia, England, France, Lucy, the murder of my parents by Jax Moore.

"Lizbeth planted a chip in my brain?" I groaned, lowering my face into my hands. "Is that true, Lucy? Careful now, I don't think I can handle too many more lies." I groaned, lowering my face into my hands. "Is that true, Lucy? Careful now, I don't think I can handle too many more lies."

"Poor Hays. I started suspecting the worst when the Elites kept following us, and the MI7 confirmed it during that phony interrogation in London. That's why Sir Nigel sent you to the meeting in France."

"What?" I jerked my head up and stared at her. "He wanted to get the resistance leaders killed? That's insane, Lucy. Even if there is a war going on."

"Take it easy, Hays. He wanted the Elites to think think they're dead," Lucy said. "So we set up a ruse, a very clever one. Those were just clones at the chateau. No one died. The real leaders are in hiding, and still hard at work. Desperate measures for desperate times. This they're dead," Lucy said. "So we set up a ruse, a very clever one. Those were just clones at the chateau. No one died. The real leaders are in hiding, and still hard at work. Desperate measures for desperate times. This is is a war-to the death. Hopefully, not ours." a war-to the death. Hopefully, not ours."

I exhaled slowly, trying to grasp all that I was hearing now. I'd suspected Lucy of treachery at first, but the real informant was me me. And Sir Nigel had played me like a piano. As an ex-agent, I had to admire that-but the thought of the ma.s.sacre still made me clench my teeth until they hurt. It helped a little to know the real Chantal Dugare wouldn't die loathing me.

And now-what?-the Elites had used another chip to block out my memory of the recent past? I should be honored, I suppose. They'd gone to a lot of trouble-sophisticated technology, careful planning, and the deceit they were carrying on now. Lizbeth had even used s.e.x to lull me, and with her obvious disgust for humans, she must have forced herself back into our bed. No wonder she'd seemed edgy after half a dozen o.r.g.a.s.ms.

"They've got another use for me," I said. "That's why they're still playing me."

"So do we, Hays." Lucy's gaze was apologetic but intense. "Sorry, but that's what you get for being who you are."

"Mr. Popularity," I muttered. "So what do you you want me to do now? How may I serve?" want me to do now? How may I serve?"

"Just go along with them, Hays, like your memory's still blanked out. We need to find out how how they plan to strike. We're pretty sure it won't be militarily. Sir Nigel now believes that those preparations in the field are a smoke screen. The annihilation of the human race won't involve hand-to-hand combat." they plan to strike. We're pretty sure it won't be militarily. Sir Nigel now believes that those preparations in the field are a smoke screen. The annihilation of the human race won't involve hand-to-hand combat."

I shook my head hard, still trying to clear it. "I was just getting used to being a double agent. Now I'm what-a triple agent?"

Then Lucy surprised me by grasping my hands in hers.

"Hays, you have to be ruthless from here on. Everything, and I mean everything, everything, depends on making them believe you still think you're an Elite." Her grip tightened. "No matter what happens, keep reminding yourself: if they win, we're all dead. You too." depends on making them believe you still think you're an Elite." Her grip tightened. "No matter what happens, keep reminding yourself: if they win, we're all dead. You too."

Strangely, I couldn't find any words to speak. I was lost in the sudden awareness that I'd never looked into eyes that were so clear and sincere. So human, I suppose.

Lucy finally lowered her gaze and let go of my hands. "I've got to keep moving. There are police all over-looking for me. I'll try to stay in touch. If it doesn't work out that way, well, you turned out to be pretty great."

With that said, she slammed the truck's rear door shut, jumped into the driver's seat, and then took off.

I started back toward home, still shaken by the recent burst inside my head-and much more disturbed by what I'd just learned about dear, sweet Lizbeth.

But by the time I got back to our apartment, my shock was overpowered by anger. At least I knew what side I was on now.

Hays Baker is no Elite!... Hays Baker is human!

Chapter 83 83.

THE NEXT MORNING-a whole lot worse for the wear and tear-I walked rather purposefully into Agency Headquarters for my "welcome back" meeting with Jax Moore. My step was springy, and I greeted my old coworkers cheerfully-fighting the urge to start shooting each and every one of them on sight. These heartless b.a.s.t.a.r.ds were part of the brain trust behind a genocide plan. And so was my wife.

"It hasn't been the same around here without you," Moore said, welcoming me into his office with his usual ruggedly handsome smile and a handshake firm enough to break bones. I shook off the impulse to break all the bones in his face.

"I think we can get back on track pretty quick, boss," I said crisply, lying through my teeth.

"Coffee, Agent Baker?" asked the familiar mechanized voice of the office's built-in catering unit.

"The usual, thanks," I said, since I was being careful to make sure that "the usual" was exactly the impression I made.

Within seconds, a robotic arm handed me a cup of delicious espresso, strong and bitter. At least this stuff wasn't washed out like the no-calorie food served everywhere else in New Lake City.

Moore waved me to a leather easy chair and sat behind his all-gla.s.s desk. He lit up a stogie, and I kept imagining it blowing up in his face. Seriously Seriously blowing up. blowing up.

"I've got a top-priority a.s.signment," he said. "I wanted to give you a little time to rest, but it can't wait any longer. Hays, we need you. President Jacklin has asked for you personally. Are you feeling up to a little action?"

"One hundred percent," I said.

"Good-you're going to love this." He touched a control, and a monitor screen blinked on.

It displayed a life-size image of Lucy's face. I did, in fact, love it. love it.

"Recognize her?" Moore said.

"She's one of the terrorists-the ones who attacked Lizbeth and me when we were leaving the president's party," I said grimly, as if my hatred of her was still fresh in my mind. But my guts twisted as I guessed what was coming next.

"She goes by the code name Lucy, or sometimes Megwin. How folksy those humans are," Moore said. "She's very good at eluding surveillance, but now we've got her located and we're ready to move on this worthless skunk b.i.t.c.h."

I was seething with anger, but I had to say yes to my boss. Backing out would look suspicious, and besides, I'd rather go after Lucy myself than let someone like McGill get the a.s.signment to kill her.

"You're right I'd love it," I said. "I want to take that one out myself."

Moore smiled and relaxed back in his chair. "Hays, you're sure you've never seen her, except that one time with Lizbeth?"

"Of course I'm sure," I said, looking surprised at the question. "I'll never forget that one."

"Lizbeth said you were still confused from the anesthesia. If I'm going to put you out there, I want to be d.a.m.ned positive you're at one hundred percent."

"That was just one small glitch-right as I was waking up. There's been nothing else since then. In fact, I feel perfectly rested and ready to go."

"All right, but don't get overconfident," Moore warned. "She and her people have killed a lot of Elites, including those executives at the Baronville Toyz store." A cruel look came into his eyes. "Hays, we want to take her alive. Her interrogation will be most entertaining. This Lucy/Megwin b.i.t.c.h has a lot of secrets we need to know."

Chapter 84 84.

MY OLD PARTNER and "good buddy," Owen McGill, was waiting for me on the city's south side, at the fringe of the so-called Human Slums, or Darkness. It was already night when I got there, but McGill's height and build were easy to spot. Some things never change.

"My main man!" he said, hurrying to give me a bone-crus.h.i.+ng hug. "Welcome back, Hays. The good times are about to get rolling again."

"Going to roll right over whatever gets in our way," I said with equally false heartiness. I was remembering how McGill had spat in my eye while I lay strapped to a hospital bed. And how he had punched me in the face.

That was another score I wanted to settle, but now wasn't the time for vendettas. Now was the time to find a way for Lucy to escape from an Agency trap, whatever it might be.

What a foul night this was turning out to be. I'd driven here with my hands clenched so tightly on the wheel that I almost snapped the d.a.m.n thing off. I couldn't think the situation through because I didn't know enough about this mission, the plan of attack, or even where Lucy was supposed to be hiding. Jax Moore had told me that McGill would fill me in, then he hurried me out of his office-probably because he still had doubts about me. Moore is nothing if not clever, devious, paranoid, and a chilling murderer. and a chilling murderer.

"You're probably thinking the skunkess is in there." McGill jerked his head toward the slum's squalid streets, which were crowded with hapless humans, plus violent Ghools-wyre addicts-moving through the smoky glow of the cooking fires. "So did we at first. It took us a while to locate the clever b.i.t.c.h. But we've got her, Hays. We have her nailed."

He pointed in the opposite direction, out to where the slum ended at a dried-up river channel and a dark wasteland stretched into the distance. The only structure I knew of there was the city's old water-filtration plant-a concrete hulk about the size of a sports stadium.

"That old plant?" I said. "How has she managed to sneak in there?"

"That's where we've got a small problem," McGill said. "Take a look at this."

He handed me a perspective imager, a slender mask that fit across my eyes and relayed a sharp picture of the building's interior.

I knew that Lucy would be there-but actually seeing her was like taking a hard punch in the stomach. She and two men were working at tables spread with a cache of rifles and pistols, the kind that shot metal bullets. It looked like they were cleaning the outmoded weapons, getting ready to use them.

And McGill's "problem" was easy to see on the imager-Lucy had an escape route. The plant's water mains had been opened and their maintenance hatches torn off. The mains dropped underground and branched into a complex network that ran under the entire city. At the whisper of alarm, Lucy and her team could easily disappear into the tunnels. That was certainly rea.s.suring to me.

"We need her alive," McGill emphasized, laying a comradely hand on my shoulder. "She knows what the humans are up to. We need to know everything she knows. Actually, this should be fun. For both of us."

I studied the imager for a few seconds longer. The plant's entrances were sealed, but there was a row of grimy industrial windows about twenty feet above the ground. That's where I planned to go. I was starting to see a chance of how I might succeed-by failing.

I took one last close-up look at Lucy's face, then I set off, ostensibly to capture or kill her.

Chapter 85 85.

MINUTES LATER, I was crouched down at the border of the dark wasteland. I had a stun-gun carbine in my hand and was tensing my legs for a sprint to the filtration plant where the Agency had isolated Lucy-I was the point man in her capture. I sucked in one more deep, measured breath. Then I jumped forward, racing in long, springing strides.

I lunged straight up as I reached the building's granite walls, catching the ledge below a window with my free hand, throwing the carbine to my shoulder with the other.

This was it, life or death. For me, and for Lucy.

I rammed the rifle barrel through the window and aimed. Right now, this instant, I had to be the best marksman I could imagine.

Very slowly, I squeezed the trigger.

Shot of my life.

And Lucy's too.

Lucy and her men spun around toward the shattering gla.s.s. I had fired the most deliberate and careful shot-three inches off her left shoulder.

The stun blast cracked with a flash like a lightning bolt, and Lucy went reeling. But she stayed on her feet. I figured that she would.

So far, so good.

But then they didn't run for the tunnels. The three of them stumbled away in the wrong direction-farther into the plant. What was she doing? This made no sense.

Maybe I'd cut the shot too close, jolted her completely out of her senses?

I swung myself boots-first through the window and dropped in a driving rain of gla.s.s to the floor below. I needed to save Lucy, somehow-with McGill watching my every move.

Chapter 86 86.

SHE WAS SEALING her own doom though, fleeing even deeper into the plant instead of using the escape route. And she was moving faster now too, disappearing in the dark maze of machinery, pipes, and catwalks, then reappearing for a glimpse, then disappearing again. But why go back into the building?

If I tried to chase her, I'd never catch her in time. McGill and the others would get to her for sure.

So I threw the rifle onto my shoulder again. Another near-impossible shot was needed. Could I do it twice in a row? I had to.

Very slowly-now squeeze, Hays.

The flas.h.i.+ng stun jolt slammed Lucy to the floor. She was definitely down, but was she out, unconscious? Or had I just killed her?

I lunged forward to scoop her up and race back toward the tunnels and the way out. The Elite air-a.s.sault units were directly overhead now-I only had a minute or two left before they arrived.

Whoom! A megaforce laser blast hit the plant's roof, vaporizing at least a forty-foot section. That showed it wasn't a good idea to wage war against the Elites. A megaforce laser blast hit the plant's roof, vaporizing at least a forty-foot section. That showed it wasn't a good idea to wage war against the Elites.

The pulsing lights of Agency aircraft appeared directly above the hole, then black-uniformed commandos came leaping through it and into the building.

I had messed up and it was going to cost Lucy. Now there was only a single option to keep Moore and McGill from getting their hands on her.

I dropped to my knees beside Lucy. Her face was turned toward me, her cheek resting on the cold concrete. Her eyes were barely open, but I could tell she could see me. "Lucy."

I drew my laser pistol and took a very deep breath. I had to kill her! I had to kill her!

"Stop." Her mouth hardly moved and her voice was as faint as a sigh. But there was no mistaking the tone of command in her next few words. "Ruthless. Remember, Hays?"